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Writer's pictureKam Wilkinson

Variances in Perception – How They Shape Human Behaviour

What fascinates me the most is the variation in human behaviour—how people perceive, interpret, and react to different kinds of information based on their life experiences.


As Albert Einstein once said, “Thoughts create biology.”


Science has established that we are essentially the sum of all our experiences, beliefs, and perceptions. Every moment, whether good, bad, or indifferent, has shaped us into the person we are today. We constantly perceive and respond to sensory information from our natural environments and technological creations (thoughts), and this process is inescapable.


Consider various experiences, whether an accident, a distressing event, or a pleasurable holiday. These experiences shape how we perceive and function in other areas or situations in our lives. The imprints these situations leave on the nervous system often result in habitual behaviours that become the norm. For instance, feeling pain at a local café, experiencing tightness in the chest, or reacting to a certain noise may be linked to a neurobiological event that created a memory now stored in the brain.


The next time we visit the same place, our system replicates the same behaviour based on the environment, making us feel as if we are reliving the experience. The fear centres of our brain, in conjunction with other areas, heighten this experience, convincing us that it’s happening again exactly as before.


The catch is that it requires far more energy for our brain's frontal regions to send a calming message to the emotional centres, reassuring us that we are safe and nothing is wrong. Unfortunately, this feedback loop often goes rogue, creating false perceptions of danger or distress when there is none.


Despite these biological fluctuations, we can control our responses to stress and better manage our reactions to various situations.


First, we need to understand how our system functions under stress and identify our behaviours:


Do we speed up, push through, or run away from our feelings through exercise, substance use, or food?

Do we cower or deflate our posture?

Are we dissociated from our body?

Do we lack a sense of self or spatial awareness?

If any of these apply, our system may be inaccurately perceiving reality. For example, one person might be soaking up a beautiful sunrise on the beach, while another is cranky and disconnected, thinking about past or future events.


This misalignment in perception can set the stage for disease and disorder. Worry and uncertainty pave the way for rigidity and tension, commonly experienced in areas connected to the sympathetic nervous system, like the neck, back, or hamstrings.


Once we identify these underlying errors, we can correct them and develop healthier ways to function, regaining control over our lives.


What can help?


Posture: Maintain an upright posture with your chest out and shoulders back. This improves the flow of information through the nervous system.

Nature: Spend time outdoors.

Limited Technology: Reduce exposure to technology and irrelevant information.

I’ve included a video below from Ken Ware, the founder of NeuroPhysics Therapy, to help assess and improve your perception.

Watch the video. https://vimeo.com/422670984 



Kam Wilkinson 

Licensed Neurotricionist - NeuroPhysics Therapy 

Founder - NeuroPhysics Therapy Northern Rivers

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